About Me
Hi, I’m Mariska, a Dutch illustrator and book designer with a TBR pile that could probably crush me if it ever toppled over. (And since I create around fifty books a year, the avalanche just keeps growing.)
Books and art have always been at the centre of my world. As a student, I interned at a traditional publishing house, which quickly turned into a permanent role as the in-house designer, and eventually also as a foreign rights assistant. This involved buying and selling translation rights, attending book fairs in Frankfurt and London, and even setting up distribution lines. All the while learning how many different hands and hearts it takes to bring a story into the world.
That experience gave me the “big picture” of publishing, from contracts and rights to how design can catch a reader’s eye. But what excited me most was finding ways to combine the best of both worlds: supporting both established publishers and indie authors who are carving out their own space in the book world.
Fast Forward Five Years, and I’ve:
- Shared 70+ tip videos to guide authors through the design process of their books
- Designed over 180+ published interiors and 20+ covers
- Created custom interior formatting for book boxes like The Bookish Box and So Many Pages
- Collaborated with publishers including Dutch Venture Publishing, SVM Publishing, Lind & Co, and Sunny Afternoon Publishing Group
- Worked on a novel with the game design studio Crossed Paths, creating the interior formatting and chapter illustrations for a story set in their TTRPG world
- Contributed to special editions for The Lunar Chronicles, The Stars Are Dying, and The Crimson Moth Duology.
Fast Forward Five Years, and I’ve:
- Contributed to special editions for The Lunar Chronicles, The Stars Are Dying, and The Crimson Moth Duology.
- Shared 70+ tip videos to guide authors through the design process of their books
- Designed over 180+ published interiors and 20+ covers
- Created custom interior formatting for book boxes like The Bookish Box and So Many Pages
- Collaborated with publishers including Dutch Venture Publishing, SVM Publishing, Lind & Co, and Sunny Afternoon Publishing Group
- Worked on a novel with the game design studio Crossed Paths, creating the interior formatting and chapter illustrations for a story set in their TTRPG world
Some of My Favourite Projects?
- Creating the vibrant, high-stakes cover for Warm-Blooded by J. Greene
- Designing the interior of the Dutch edition of A Deal with the Elf King, while also helping secure the Dutch translation rights.
- Formatting The Crimson Moth Duology by Kristen Ciccarelli, my biggest project to date, complete with a flipbook animation hidden in the margins
What I Love About My Work
What I love about my work is that no two projects are ever the same. Every cover and interior is hand-illustrated, custom-tailored to its story, and designed to feel like the perfect fit, like a Cinderella’s slipper for books.
People often say not to judge a book by its cover, but we all know that readers do. So I’m not afraid to go all out with your cover and interior formatting, for your readers will notice and they’ll appreciate the extra care.
What I Love About My Work
What I love about my work is that no two projects are ever the same. Every cover and interior is hand-illustrated, custom-tailored to its story, and designed to feel like the perfect fit, like a Cinderella’s slipper for books.
People often say not to judge a book by its cover, but we all know that readers do. So I’m not afraid to go all out with your cover and interior formatting, for your readers will notice and they’ll appreciate the extra care.
When I’m Not Making Books
You’ll usually find me knitting, crocheting, or embroidering, baking or cooking something new, hiking a trail, or, let’s be honest, catching up on some much-needed sleep with a good book by my side.
In short, I do this work because I believe that every story deserves to shine, whether it comes from a major publisher or a writer chasing their first dream.
So if you’re looking for a design that feels as unique as the story inside your book, let’s create it together.
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